Late Model driver Matt Waltz wins twice at Langley

May 05, 2013|By Marty O'Brien, mobrien@dailypress.com | 757-247-4963

Matt Waltz has been knocking on the door of Victory Lane at Langley Speedway for weeks. On Saturday, he busted it down twice.

Waltz, who will receive his engineering degree at Old Dominion University on Saturday, won twin 75-lappers at Langley — his first and second victories in a Late Model stock car. He led the final 38 laps of the first race, then led every lap in winning from the pole in the second.

Waltz, 23, showed his speed on opening night, posting the fastest time in practice. But he wrecked his car in qualifying and had to get the front end of brother Kyle's car transported to the track to rebuild his front end.

He finished a credible fifth in the 150-lap opener despite the problem, then nabbed second to C.E. Falk after winning the pole in the 125-lapper two weeks later. His sweep Saturday kept C.E. Falk from getting a win, something that rarely happens when Langley hosts twin events.

"C.E. got close to me early in the second race and I was concerned he might be able to get by me," Waltz said. "But we had him covered and it felt good to beat him and Greg Edwards straight up."

Edwards was second in the first race and Falk third. Dean Shiflett led from laps 3-36 of the first race, but Waltz got under him in Turn 2 on lap 37, passed him back and pulled away.

Waltz won comfortably in the second race, with Falk second and Shiflett, fourth in the first race, taking third. Waltz — who raced a Late Model at Langley in 2008 and '09, but never won — was excited about his first Late Model win at any track.

"There's just four of us working on the car, and we do that around school or work," Waltz said. "The oldest person on the team is 25, and some of these teams have full-time crew chiefs working on the car, so I'm really proud of myself and everyone on the team.

"Hard work and preparation is paying off for us."

Dylan Smith, a Vermont native of Haitian descent, was set on Saturday to become the first person of color ever to run in a Late Model race at Langley, but did not after his motor blew in practice. Smith will make his next attempt May 18.

Other races

Veteran Tommy Sweeney led the final 15 laps to win his first Grand Stock 40 of the season. Mark Claar led the first 25 laps before fading to 17th.

Robbie Davis continued his domination of the Super Truck Division, winning his third 25-lapper in three tries this season. Bobby Hall beat Cody Carlton off the final turn to make it two straight Pro Six 30 wins.

Richard Ellis won another nail-biter, taking the lead in the UCAR 25 on the 24th lap. Tim Wilson set a new UCAR qualifying record of 74.544 mph, but started sixth when the field was inverted and finished fifth.